That's too bad. The second revision ("VI3 Fast Track 3.5 Revision B") course materials are so much easier to work with. I wonder if only the official courses are using it.

For anyone considering taking the course in the future with HP or IBM, you should ask which materials you will be using.

Yeah. Having it all combined would have been nice. The jumping between books used up quite a bit of time and was a bit confusing in places. No idea if I was just right before they rolled out rev B or whether it was only for VMware run courses at the time.

It wasn't with HP or IBM. It was run by a third party training company but still listed on the VMware website. All the non VMware courses have Contact Partner next to them.

All the VMware run courses were supposed to switch over as of the April 28th course I took - it was the first "new" course, and the instructors loved it (one of them had been heavily involved in its development) - but of course there were still a few problems .

With no conceivable option to ever attend a VM course (damn global credit crunch). I am still tempted to take the exams... Not to ever deceptively suggest VCP status but just to demonstrate some level of VM competence in addition to hands on experience.

I guess I don't see the value in it. You're not allowed to say that you're VCP unless you take the course, and people aren't going to be combing resumes for the exam number. You can list it as a qualification/skill without taking the exam. Just state what your experience with it is.

Also, I hear a lot of the text content comes from the course materials, so it may be a bit difficult with self-study. I'll let you know in a few weeks

Also, I hear a lot of the text content comes from the course materials, so it may be a bit difficult with self-study. I'll let you know in a few weeks

Yes the exam comes directly from the I&C course manual. You could study without it but the manual is very well written and could be used as your only study method (along with the labs in the course and a little hands on).

Word of advise, don't take the Deploy, Secure and Analyze to prep for the VCP.

This class is considered an "alternate" to the install and config class. It focuses on command line administration via the ESX Service Console. There are no test questinos regarding commands in the Service Console.

According to my instructor, Install and Config is all that is needed to pass the VCP.

The fasttrack is a hybrid between the two and you get a voucher for the exam. It is more or less a 12 hour X 5 day boot camp with VMware certified instructors.

Word of advise, don't take the Deploy, Secure and Analyze to prep for the VCP.

DSA was added as an option for people who had been working with ESX for a few years and who wanted to get their VCP but didn't want to "go back to basics" and instead get some value out of the training. The DSA course content now maps to the Enterprise exam in the VCDX track. I&C like you said maps to the VCP exam.

* You get asked 75 questions
* You have 90 minutes to answer the questions
* You have to get a score of 70 or better to pass
* The questions are weighted, so some score more points than others
* You have to go to a Pearson Vue testing centre to take the exam
* The Install & Configure course is the best match to the exam
* You do have to attend an official course to be a VCP* You can take the exam without attending an official course, but you won't be a VCP
* Roughly 85% of takers pass first time

I will take the exam without the course and wait till I find an employer that pays for it

Yes. They won't stop you from taking the VCP exam but you won't actually get the VCP certification without attending an official course.

That's good enough with me since I just want to accumulate all the skills/certifications that I'm looking for this year and them put them on practice next year when I hopefully move to another job that requires those skills.

That's good enough with me since I just want to accumulate all the skills/certifications that I'm looking for this year and them put them on practice next year when I hopefully move to another job that requires those skills.

Just be aware that VI3.5 aka ESX 3.5 is going to be replaced by vSphere 4.0 aka ESX 4.0 soon and that the exam + course will be changing at some point. If you've taken the official VI3.5 VCP course (there are unofficial ones that won't qualify you for a VCP) then you've got to take the exam by December 2009 I believe it is otherwise you have to retake the course.

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